If you can't make it to Churchill Downs to watch the Kentucky Derby in person, bring the greatest 2 minutes in sports to your home with a spirited party sprinkled with a plethora of roses! To ensure your guests get into the mood, decorate your space with traditional red, black and white colors, add in accents of gorgeous red roses and offer mint juleps, the official cocktail of the Kentucky Derby, for guests to sip on. After the race, bestow the winner with their own red rose "garland" in the shape of a DIY Horseshoe Wreath! Even if you don't pick the winning horse, you're sure to hit the design trifecta with our easy ideas!
I have to admit, I'm a sucker for watching the ponies! Something about their magnificent strength gets my heart pounding, and sharing my love of the Run for the Roses® with friends is just icing on the cake.
To welcome guests and get them into the spirit of the Derby, we set up a dual party props and dessert table. A DIY Horseshoe Wreath was created by gluing red roses to a foam board cut into a horseshoe shape that was then hung over our table with Black and White Striped Ribbon. We had a bit of fun and awarded the winning bettor with the wreath to symbolize the garland the winning horse receives at the end of the Derby.
You can find the steps to create your own DIY Horseshoe Wreath here.
The bottom of our table received a punch of color thanks to a few stylish Derby Paper Hanging Fans that were hung in the left corner.
Picture Perfect Prop Station
An Artificial Grass Roll served as a table runner and provided a pop of color and dimension that grounded all the red in the room. A smattering of adorable mini Horses frolicked across the runner for a playful touch.
We provided a plethora of fun props to ensure our guests got into the Derby spirit. Red Rose Leis were placed into a Large Galvanized Pail, which provided a splash of color to the center of our table. A Galvanized Oval bucket filled with Red Derby Fascinator Headbands and Black Derby Fascinator Headbands sat beside the leis, ready to adorn the ladies' heads.
Our prop station looked extra cheerful thanks to our Down 'n Derby sign that we placed at the end of the table.
To create the sign, we first lightly coated one side of a Clear Acrylic Sign with black and white paint. Once the paint was dry, we turned the sign over and added the playful phrase, which was cut from red adhesive vinyl. Download the free printable template to make your own sign here. A red rose was hot glued in the corner for good measure. Derby Place Your Bets Game Cards were placed atop a cake plate next to the sign as a fun way for guests to record their wagers.
You can't have a Derby party without mint juleps and the iconic cups they typically grace. We transformed Mint Julep Plastic Cups into vases and tucked red roses into a few and sprinkled them about our space. Horses topped Silver Striped Paper Straws adorned each of the vases.
Derby Photo Props stood tall in a Galvanized Tall Pot and not only added to the decor of the space, but were perfect for selfies taken by our guests.
Delectable Desserts
The other end of our table played host to our delicious sweets for guests to enjoy. Brownies, topped with mint, and a simple cake were highlights of the night.
Derby Paper Dinner Plates, Red Square Dinner Plates, along with Derby Lunch Napkins sat nearby ready to be piled high with our yummy dinner and dessert. Red Plastic Forks and Red Plastic Knives were tied together with Black and White Striped Satin Ribbon and looked stylish tucked into a Mint Julep Plastic Cup that was decorated with a red adhesive vinyl horseshoe cut out. A stash of Black Striped Paper Straws and Red Polka Dot Paper Straws inside another Mint Julep Plastic Cup was also kept on hand for guests' needs.
A silver spray painted DIY Unfinished Wood Horseshoe and a few Horses were also sprinkled on our table for a dose of style and whimsy.
Our simple naked cake made it to the winner's circle and was topped with a trophy from the Derby Photo Props, along with a few red roses.
Sips Station
The red rose decorations were continued onto our bar cart. Silver painted DIY Unfinished Wood Horseshoes were attached to a Red Rose Garland with the help of a few beads of hot glue. Small pieces of Red Baker's Twine were used to secure the garland to our cart.
A Glass Beverage Dispenser was filled with sweet tea mint punch for guests to easily serve themselves. A trophy cut out from the Derby Paper Hanging Fans was attached to the beverage dispenser for a touch of fun. Derby Beverage Napkins and Derby Paper Dessert Plates were kept within reach. A red rose filled Mint Julep Plastic Cup rounded out the look of our cart.
The bottom of our cart was lined with an Artificial Grass Roll for extra texture under our glassware and libations. Trophy cups were decked out with bow ties crafted from Red and White Striped Satin Ribbon, which were attached with a small dab of hot glue. We traded the straws that came with the cups for Red Polka Dot Straws to add a punch of color. Plastic Pint Glasses, dressed up with horseshoes cut from red adhesive vinyl, sat opposite the trophy cups. They, too, received Red Polka Dot Straws, along with black Horses perched on their edges for a touch of whimsy.
Winning horse or not, we hope you've found some ideas to host your own gathering in honor of the Run for the Roses®! Be sure to check out the steps to create your own DIY Horseshoe Wreath to award the winning bettor!
